Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Ripe Banana Remedy

What do you do with speckled overly ripe bananas? I'm sure many of you are thinking banana bread, right? I don't love banana bread (gasp!) so I usually toss them into fruit smoothies or make this strawberry Jell-o salad. I like bananas as a snack, but I like them firm with a little green still on them. Once they turn brown, I'm out! Usually if they're really black they get thrown away. Don't hate me banana bread lovers! I've tried freezing them with and without the peel but wasn't not a pretty site, in fact it made me dislike ripe bananas even more.

This is one recipe that I don't get tired of though and it calls for 2 overly ripe mashed bananas. Since I usually only buy 3 at a time, this works out perfectly so I can eat one and not worry about the others turning colors. And my husband loves it and requests it all the time so it's a win-win situation. I featured this Jell-O salad before on LTBG a couple years ago but it had one lone picture and it was ugly so no one ever commented. ha ha! I'm sharing it again because it really is good and I think you'd like it.

I usually make this in a Pyrex bowl, but I've made them in small clear glasses for a prettier, single-serving presentation as well. Either way you serve it, it tastes the same. The gelatin is more substantial and has body from the banana and crushed pineapple that are mixed into it. The frozen strawberries kinda break things up a bit so not everything is too smooth and baby food like. But it's the sour cream layer that I love. It's not sweetened at all but when you eat it with the strawberry Jello it almost tastes like cream cheese. I hope you'll give this one a try- it's nothing fancy, just good stuff.

In a medium bowl pour boiling water over strawberry jello. Mix til gelatin is fully dissolved. Add in crushed pineapple, and bananas. Add in strawberries and mix.

In a small bowl, stir sour cream til creamy and loosened a bit.

In a medium bowl, pour half the gelatin mixture (see note). Carefully ladle the sour cream over the jell-o, then pour the rest of the mixture over the sour cream.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

NOTE: To help the jello set up a bit quicker, I put the bowl in freezer for 5 minutes before adding the sour cream layer and the additional jello on top. This just helps keep the layers separated but it's not necessary.

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And just because I think it's funny, here's a picture of Mr. H and Autumn sharing a father/daughter moment while taking a break from varmint hunting in our backyard*.

34 comments:

I'm with you about ripe bananas. Also, I don't care for anything with cooked banana. The Jello treatment looks good. I don't have any frozen strawberries, but I do have frosen raspberries, so I think I'll use those. Thanks!

I personally love a good baked banana with cinnamon. but each to thier own i guess. Really nice blog and im loving the pictures. Will be coming back. Feel free to stop by mine for some ideas, although yours trumps mine x10 haha! Good luck!

oh and i have been having trouble getting your recipes. if i click the printer friendly version i can't print it on my computer, nothing shows up and if i try and copy and paste it it is copywrighted, any suggestions?

Wow, I didn't know there were so many banana bread haters out there! LOL! Well I DO love my icky overly ripe bananas in banana bread but this jello recipe looks delish and I am interested in how the sour cream tastes with everything else! I'm going to try this one soon!

I just get tired of overly ripe bananas - I am with you. I prefer a little green and no brown spots. I haven't figured out just the right number to purchase because I always seem to have extra! I will try the jello! I just a ripe one to make a strawberry/banana smoothie for a sick daughter.

For those who don't want to waste bananas, you can always freeze them at any stage and save them for pulp or blend them while still frozen. For those who like bananas, even the black ones are still good for cooking and stay good in the refrigerator in their peel for a long time. The flavor is a wonderful intense banana flavor. Think how much food is wasted the next time you think of tossing that black banana. It's still good to go!

This looks great. I love that it uses sour cream and not Cool Whip too. My freezer is often referred to as 'the place where bananas go to die'. After oodles of banana muffins/loaves it's nice to use them a different way. Thanks!

When bananas get a bit overripe you can often fix the flavour with brown sugar - which is why banana bread is so popular I guess. Mum used to mash the bananas with a fork and add brown sugar, then you could have icecream or cream with it. In extreme cases, custard. Nursery comfort food for our family anyhow. I think it might make a nice toasted sandwich too.

I think I love you...no, I know I love you!!LOL! I'm eating a little litter these days, and this is perfect! Please forgive me though, I'll have to use sugarfree jello and light sour cream! Finally I get to have dessert I won't feel guilty eating!

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My name is Monica and I'm a stay at home mom living in central Texas. I like to cook, but baking is my passion. I am an (obsessive) collector of cake stands, cookbooks and bakeware. I make lots of yummy treats and often share my sweet creations with friends, family and anyone else who is willing to be my guinea pig. I have lots of recipes in the archives so I hope you'll stick around for awhile!

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